​ Today there is a common notion that acts and attitudes are sin only if they hurt people. If no one is hurt, it is not sin. This belief is a misunderstanding of the nature of sin. Sin is basically a rebellion against God. It is a rejection of God’s rule over our lives. We know God’s will. It has been revealed particularly in Jesus. Many of our little offenses are insignificant enough except that they form a pattern of rejection of God. As sin is against God, so forgiveness must come from God. David understood that. The Pharisees saw that clearly. The announcement of God’s forgiveness is the greatest blessing which the Christian church brings to a sinful humanity. The world today takes God’s forgiveness lightly, because it takes sin lightly. Sin is explained away as anything except rebellion against God. Sin is explained away as being merely the result of a bad environment. And so it goes, on and on. The age-old attempt to explain away sin short of rebellion against God is repeated at every age. We cannot heed the truth about ourselves, how can we receive forgiveness? There is a similarity between David (2 Samuel 11:26-12:10,13-15) and Simon’s (Luke 7:36-8:3) offenses. Both had power to do as they pleased, and both did just that. Who was to tell them they could not? In David’s case, it was Nathan the prophet, the mouthpiece of God. In Simon’s case, it was Jesus, speaking also the word of God. No person is above or beyond God’s judgment!